I had to make an order for some supplies yesterday and won't be able to detail my car until next weekend. It needs to have some swirls/scratches removed. Will it hurt to go ahead and wash and clay the car and not put any wax/polish on it until the next weekend?

I'm looking to cut down on my time I'm spending on the car next weekend due to other afternoon activities.

 

what you could do is wash, clay and then use a spray wax as a temporary hold over for the week to protect the car.

the following weekend wash with dawn to get the spray wax off, do a sandwich bag check for any contaminants (very likely not any if at all), then go at it with the polisher.

do you park in a garage? at work or at home? both?

i'm no expert but if it was me...i would consider this procedure if the car was garaged or covered in between.

though you should be fine. cars with fresh paint from body shops can't be touched with product for 3 months.

 

I personally like to do it all at once. I guess there is no harm in splitting up the claying/polishing although if you live in an area where pollen is bad, you may quickly recontaminate your cars paint after initially claying in that one week time frame.

 

I've decided to work a half day Friday because I should have all my products by then. My neighbor is going to let me park my Z06 in his garage for the weekend so it doesn't sit outside.

I've been a zaino user for many years and have never needed to correct swirls before. I picked up a griot's orbital polisher and have been watching videos. I also picked up some sonax leather & wheel cleaner that I'm excited to try. Never been much of a zaino leather cleaner fan.

I will take some pics and post them later.

 

I would not delay after a clay, but if you have to you would need to do a quick clay when you pick up the process again.

 

Stars Fan, I agree with Bruce. If I'm not mistaken, when you claybar, you take your car down to the pure paint. So you've removed all the contaminants from your paint/car. So you need to polish and protect the paint right away after claybarring.

You being a Corvette owner, I understand that the Corvette community swears by Zaino products. I like them a lot myself. I've had good luck with the leather cleaner AND the leather in a bottle too.